Monday, February 28, 2011

Along with my paintings, I have finished my cardboard model of the Eiffel Tower. It's pretty simple. I'm hoping my teacher appreciates simple. (Few seem to at this school.) I know seeing it with the things other students made makes it look like I didn't put much work into it, but I like how it came out. It's simple and light and not too much. I didn't want to go over the top with it and keep adding and adding until it was too decorated. So I hope my teacher gets that. I sort of turned out like an art deco version of the tower, which is cool. Art deco is always good.

Anyways, here it is. Took less than a small sheet of cardboard to make. But I'm happy with it.

Best compliment was someone said this looked like something you could pick up at the Umbra store. That's awesome. I love Umbra.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

I'm horrible at posting regularly. I can't help it. But I have some finished projects finally. Ones that aren't essays and papers. (Because who really cares about those?)

My landscape paintings are done and have been presented in class. I'm hoping for a mark back soon, though I haven't heard anything yet. I really haven't gotten much back for marks this semester. So I really have no idea how I'm doing. A little stressful. But ah well. I've had the past week to relax at least.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Well, my upcoming photography assignment was stressing me out this morning. (Technically I guess it still is morning. Not quite noon yet.) But anyways. I had to do some type of narrative with some sort of issue behind it. I don't really do "issues." I feel like if I were to take photographs that commented on war or poverty or animal cruelty, it would come off as insincere and fake. Forced. And while some people can get away with creating art with intense and sometimes controversial subject matter, I simply can't bring myself to do it.

So, I looked at the book industry. And the recent popularity of the Kobo reader, iPad, and things like that. E-books. The downloading of literature and the very gradual shrinking of people who buy actual books. Well, I personally like actual books. I'd rather hold a book in my hand than some sort of electronic device. I can't exactly go over a text on costume history in a Kobo reader. And certainly not a book on photography. And how exactly does a parent plan to read Love You Forever on an iPad? Part of the fun for kids is turning the actual pages of a story. Holding the actual book in their hands and looking at the pictures.

With all that in mind I shifted about some of the books on my shelf and snapped a few pictures. And within an hour my project is all done. Just needs to be printed. Now my only concern is if I want matte, glossy, or metalic paper. Oh, decisions...

And as for the narrative aspect of the photographs, it's basically someone picking and actual book off an actual shelf and reading it. None of this e-shelf business. Real books. Ironically I went with Jane Austen's Emma. Which is, of course, usually free in the e-bookstores.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Form and Structure assignment number one. Recreate an object using cardboard. Yup. I'm building with cardboard. I feel a little juvenile, but c'est la vie. It's actually kind of fun to work on. And as it stands, I have a final idea in my head as well as three very different prototypes made up. I have about a week to get the real thing done. I foresee a lot of cutting and sore fingers in my future. But hopefully all turns out well.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Don't have many assignments to post here yet. It's mostly been writing and drafting so far. And a photo assignment in a photobooth. ... Which I won't be posting. =| However. I do have my plans for my first Nature and Culture painting assignment. Three 2x2 canvases of a landscape moving from naturalistic to abstract. I'm taking inspiration yet again from Mika Ninagawa, and painting some colourful flowers and cheeryblossom trees.

At the moment, I am half way through the abstract and mostly done with the naturalistic painting. I will be starting the cross over painting in the middle (half abstract half natural) in class today. We'll see how it turns out. I'm still unsure of how I want to finish the abstract, but I'd better decide before the week is up. I've only got so much time. Hopefully I can post a finished painting soon.